Bandit Outlaw - when AI comes to life
by TonySoprano
Summary: Have you ever wondered what NPC's and enemies do while they are waiting for the Dragonborn to come across their path? They don't do anything... because they are computer game characters! But this Bandit Outlaw, named Bandit Outlaw, mysteriously comes to life and starts to explore Skyrim for himself...
1. Chapter 1

One day there was a bandit outlaw named Bandit Outlaw. He was an AI controlled enemy character in the video game called The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but he didn't know this yet.

Bandit Outlaw stood outside his tent. He was waiting for something. Waiting for _someone_. He had no will of his own. He was programmed to respond at the right time. He would only obey the law of the bandit - _kill the intruder if he enters your proximity._ He just stood there next to his tent, wearing studded leather armour, boots and leggings. He was a bald imperial man with no noteworthy features. He had no facial scars or tattoo. Just a plain face with brown eyes. He was a bandit outlaw, a slave to his design. His iron sword was sheathed and his shield hanged awkwardly off his left arm. Bandit had 7 gold pieces and some raw venison on his person. Bandit would probably never taste venison. Bandit would probably never taste anything.

A mountain goat approached the campfire in the middle of the bandit camp. The goat seemed to be more alive than the bald man who stood outside his tent like a statue. The goat roamed into the camp from time to time to make things seem more 'natural'. Meanwhile Bandit just stared straight into oblivion.

Bandit's camp was situated near the three standing stones that overlooked the river. Bandit Outlaw guarded the camp together with two other bandits. A good looking nord woman with red hair and facial tattoos, also named Bandit Outlaw, and a heavily armoured orc named Bandit Outlaw Leader. Bandit Outlaw Leader as well as the female nord slept in their tents as if in a coma. They too waited for their law to be fulfilled, marked by the coming of 'the living one'.

Bandit heard something and expressed his curiosity verbally by asking out loud, "Is someone there?" Bandit unsheathed his iron sword and started scouting the perimeters of the camp in an attempt to find the source of the noise he heard. Bandit walked. This was a new experience for the bandit outlaw. _Walking. _He became aware of his movements and realised that he was following some sort of pattern or predestination towards the source of the noise. It was irresistible to him. Whoever caused the noise must have been the living one that was to set him free from his statuesque existence.

It was mid-day. The sun was high in the sky and beating down on Bandit's bald head. He felt warm. _Warm._ He could hear the river flowing, the birds and insects. Bandit could hear a rhythmic thumping resonating from inside himself. It was… his heart! He heard his heart beating together with the magnificent sounds of nature that surrounded him. Bandit felt what can only be described as 'excitement'. The golden feeling raced through his whole being and he realised that… he was himself, a bandit outlaw in this fantastic world of Skyrim. Bandit was convinced that he had experienced a divine revelation. He felt that he had an identity, able to know others and able to be known. It was as if he had opened his eyes for the first time. Bandit turned towards the mountains and felt life spring up inside him as he gazed upon the reverence of the great mountains. He felt a strength inside him, as if it was always there.

Bandit was mesmerised by the beauty of the world around him, but the compulsion to kill the source of the noise quickly returned and drowned out his perfect vision like the abrupt ending to a vivid dream. Bandit fought consciously against this force that was controlling his will, but he was quickly overpowered and continued searching for the source of the noise. Now the desire to kill the noisy one was even stronger and the words "I thought I heard something" involuntarily escaped his mouth.

Bandit now patrolled the perimeter in search of his victim. He knew there was someone there. He walked up the ridge and noticed some mountain flowers. A brilliant blue butterfly glided over the flowers and a rabbit hopped along the lower path towards the river. He was moving to investigate the butterfly more closely, but was startled by a figure that entered his vision. He looked over the ridge across the path that led from the cave entrance and spotted an adventurer. The adventurer wore a blue mage's robe and sandals. He had a readied iron mace in his right hand and his left hand appeared to be burning. The adventurer donned an iron helm with inverted horns that covered half his face. The adventurer was humanoid, but his race was indiscernible. The adventurer advanced quickly down the path towards the rabbit.

Bandit somehow recognised the adventurer, who seemed to radiant to Bandit. It was as if this mysterious adventurer was the most important individual in all of Skyrim. As if everything was created for him. As if everything was subject to his will. Bandit was confused. Conflicting thoughts swirled inside his bandit skull. _Just kill him._ He somehow knew that it was his destiny to kill the adventurer, this warrior that his sword was drawn to like a magnet. _Just kill him. _Bandit recognised this urge to kill as his programming. That part of him now felt foreign, out of character.

The adventurer now charged at the rabbit with his mace. The mace connected with the rabbit's lower haunches, instantly killing it and crushing its spine. Bandit continued to fight the urge to attack the adventurer. _Just kill him. _Bandit stood motionless as if over-encumbered. It took every ounce of strength he possessed to fight the voice compelling him to murder the adventurer. _JUST KILL HIM. _While he remained motionless, almost glitching as he jittered in place, the two sleeping bandits awoke from their deep slumber and readied their weapons. The red-haired female bandit outlaw sprang to life and shouted "you never should have come here!" while Bandit Outlaw Leader slowly drew his iron battle axe. Bandit turned and stared at the two sleepers, now awake, but still under 'the spell', Bandit thought. They were just mindless killing machines. They didn't know who they were, why they were fighting or even the identity of the person they were trying to kill. Bandit pitied them. They seemed like animals to Bandit.

Bandit knew what was going to happen next. The adventurer was going to die.


	2. Chapter 2

The other two bandits now stood their ground in their camp. They were waiting for the adventurer to make the first move. The female bandit brandished two daggers and wore fur chest armour, boots, leggings and no helm, exposing her fiery red hair. Her tattoos seemed tribal, which suggests that the female bandit was a former member of the forsworn tribe.

Bandit Outlaw still stood motionless on the rocky ridge that leads down to the camp, staring in awe at the adventurer. The adventurer loomed over the crushed rabbit, seemingly admiring the dead animal. The adventurer then quickly ripped off the rabbit's legs and added them to his inventory. He then fired a stream of flames at the rabbit's corpse. The ground and the rabbit burst into flames, which seemed to please the adventurer. The adventurer turned away from the flaming rabbit and continued to jump repeatedly towards the bandits' camp. The adventurer failed to notice Bandit Outlaw, who was still observing his every move.

The female bandit spotted the adventurer first. If he posed a threat to the bandits, they would be forced to kill him. That was the law of the bandits. Bandit Outlaw Leader was positioned three metres behind the female bandit, ready to strike at a moment's notice. The adventurer now walked casually towards the female bandit, still keeping a safe distance. "That's close enough friend!" she shouted at the adventurer. As she shouted the adventurer launched into a wild power attack, winding up his mace to strike at the female bandit. The female bandit had no time to react. The mace connected sharply with the female bandit's red-haired skull, blood exploding from her face. She cried out in pain as her dead body limped to the ground. The adventurer's slow recovery after the power attack opened him up to an attack from Bandit Outlaw Leader. He swung his battle axe at the adventurer, slashing through his chest. Blood sprayed from the adventurer who now retreated while firing a burst of flames towards the heavily armoured orc. The orc tried to charge at the adventurer, but the flames devoured him too quickly. The orc buckled at the knees, his charred corpse falling into an awkward prayer position. Bandit Outlaw Leader was cooked alive inside his own banded iron armour.

Bandit was disappointed that his party members were cut down so quickly by the adventurer. Then Bandit felt something drop inside him, then a clawing sense of urgency. After witnessing the adventurer slaughter the bandits, he feared for his life. Bandit felt the urge to preserve himself, to stay alive. He didn't want to fight the adventurer, but it was the law of the bandits – kill the intruder. _Kill him now._ Bandit did not want to die. He wanted to explore those majestic mountains. He wanted to understand why he was given this gift of life. But the adventurer was now running in Bandit's direction.

Bandit remained silent. The adventurer paced towards Bandit. Both men had their weapons ready. They stood on the ridge that overlooked the camp, staring at each other. The adventurer couldn't have been aware of Bandit's recent revelations. _Could he? _To him Bandit Outlaw was just another enemy, another bandit outlaw. The adventurer eyed him closely, examining every inch of his body, like a predator peering into the soul of its prey before the death blow. There was nothing stopping the adventurer from killing the bandit.

Bandit could feel his being shudder with fear. He stood in awe of the living legend who seemed to gaze into his soul. He felt the contrast between the adventurer's understanding and his own. Bandit was new to this concept of 'life' and now 'the living one' was standing face to face with him. The entire universe seemed bent on killing this adventurer. _Why was he so important?_ The bandit could now see that the adventurer was a nord. He had icy blue eyes and long light-brown hair. His face was old and weathered. It was like peering into the spirit of a great beast.

The adventurer dropped down into a crouch position and moved slowly around Bandit, his back now facing the adventurer. Bandit felt the adventurer's hands lift objects from his person. He was felt slightly lighter than before. The adventurer stood up and faced Bandit for the last time. His mace was now replaced with the Bandit Outlaw Leader's iron battle axe. Somehow during the fight the adventurer must have looted his comrade's corpse. The adventurer stood in a wide stance in front of Bandit, the battle axe menacing. The adventurer wanted to execute Bandit and nothing was going to stop him.

The mountain goat entered the camp again and moved towards the campfire, like always. The goat caught the attention of the adventurer, leaving Bandit alone on the ridge. The adventurer shot flames at the goat, which caused it to bolt away from the camp. The adventurer ran towards the standing stones near the river in pursuit of the goat.


End file.
